Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the report that the Secretary of State for Transport has asked the new Chair of HS2 Allan Cook to undertake a review of the project "to make sure that the costs and budget are right and that it is deliverable", what independent advice Mr Cook will seek as part of that review; whether his reportwill include comments on whether the project can be delivered within the current Government financial envelope for HS2; if not, what reductions in scope would be necessary to stay within that envelope;when they expect Mr Cook to deliver his report; and whether that report will be published.

baroness vere of norbiton: It is the role of the Chair and the Board of HS2 Ltd to keep the entire programme under ongoing scrutiny. The Chair is currently carrying out an assessment in this regard and has regular discussions with the Department about its progress.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Ford Motor Company: Bridgend

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Bridgend County Borough Council about attracting investment for Bridgend and reducing the impact on workers from any closure of the Ford engine plant.

lord henley: Her Majesty’s Government is committed to working closely with the Welsh Government to consider, and where possible, mitigate the impact of Ford’s decision to close its Bridgend Engine Plant. The Welsh Government, the Wales Office, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade came together with the company, local leaders, unions and Bridgend County Borough Council for the first meeting of the Ford Bridgend Taskforce on 1 July.Jointly sponsored by Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport Ken Skates and my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, and chaired by Professor Richard Parry-Jones, the Taskforce has been established to support Ford workers, communities and local economy following the company’s decision to close their operation in Bridgend from Autumn 2020.Bridgend County Borough Council is expected to have a key role in the activities of this Taskforce, as part of wider joint efforts to support the workers and the wider community.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Palestinians

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statistics collected by Military Court Watch from the testimonies of Palestinian children who were detained by the Israeli military in the West Bank in 2019, published in May, and its findings that (1) 52per cent were arrested at night, (2) 95 per cent were hand-tied, often painfully, (3) 91 per cent were blindfolded in contravention of the recommendations of Unicef, (4) 69 per cent experienced some form of physical abuse such as slapping, kicking and punching, (5) 67 per cent experienced threats, and (6) 74 per cent reported being denied access to a lawyer prior to questioning; and what representations they intend to make to the government of Israel about those testimonies.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are extremely concerned about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. Reports of the heavy use of painful restraints and the high number of Palestinian children who are not informed of their legal rights, in contravention of Israel's own regulations, are particularly concerning. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue and we remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding Palestinian children in detention in Israel.

Khader al-Saaidy

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of reports that Israeli Defence Forces refused a fisherman, Khader al Saaidy, medical assistance after he was shot and blinded whilst he was fishing within the limits of the fishing zone established by the government of Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not made any assessment on this specific issue, we are aware of media reports. We regularly raise our concerns over the use of live fire with the Israeli authorities and urge unimpeded access to medical treatment.

Gaza: Fisheries

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the restriction of fishing zones in Gaza on the level of protein in Gazan children’s diets.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made an assessment on this, however we regularly raise with the Government of Israel the urgent need to ease all access and movement restrictions on Gaza, including fishing limits. This would help to restore the fishing industry as regular alterations to the zone, often as a punitive measure, cause uncertainty and insecurity. The UK would like to see a permanent increase in the size of the fishing zone off the coast of Gaza in line with the limit of 20 nautical miles stipulated in the Oslo accords.

Israel: Nuclear Installations

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that there are leaks of radioactive waste from the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Centre in Dimona.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we are aware of media reports, we have not made an assessment of this issue as it is a matter for the Israeli authorities.

Jerusalem: Demolition

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the owners of Palestinian property under the control of the Palestinian Authority in East Jerusalem of the Israeli High Court of Justice giving permission to demolish 13 buildings.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Our Embassy in Tel Aviv discussed our concerns about the increase in demolitions in East Jerusalem with the Israeli Authorities on 25 June. The nature of these demolitions which took place within an area of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority is particularly concerning and we continue to monitor the situation closely. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; call into question Israel's commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We fund a number of projects to monitor and report on settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and to protect vulnerable Palestinian communities from the effects of settlement expansion.

Palestinians: Olives

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to protect the livelihoods of Palestinians living in territory occupied by Israel whose olive trees have been destroyed.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government and security officials about the destruction of olive trees and the prevention of access to them on a number of occasions. The British Government condemns any violence by settlers against Palestinians. Under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to take all measures in its power to protect the Palestinian population from all acts of violence.

Philippines: Human Rights

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they plan to have with the government of the Philippines about the circumstances of the deaths of Neptali Morada, Ryan Hubilla, Nelly Bagsala, Nonoy Palma and Dennis Sequeña, and ways in which to prevent further killings.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not had discussions with the Philippine authorities on these specific cases due to ongoing investigations. However, our Embassy in Manila continues to follow developments closely in each case.The UK remains concerned about reports of human rights abuses in the Philippines, including the attacks on human rights and labour rights campaigners. We consistently call on the Government of the Philippines to ensure a safe environment for human rights defenders and encourage the Government of the Philippines to prioritise the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Bill.Through our national statements at the UN Human Rights Council the UK has urged the Philippines to conduct thorough investigations into killings associated with the war on drugs and to ensure the safety of land rights defenders. We also work closely with our EU partners to press for investigations into instances of abuse.The Minister for Asia and the Pacific raised our concerns with Philippines Ministers, including the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano, during his visit to Manila in August 2018. More recently, the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to the Philippines raised our concerns with Cabinet Secretaries in February. These messages were also passed to Philippines Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo during the UK-Philippines High Level Talks that took place in Manila in November 2018.

Philippines: Children

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that over 3 million children, aged five to 17, are obliged to work in the Philippines; and what initiatives they are funding to assist with the provision of education for such children.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are not aware of these reports. However, we are aware that poverty remains a persistent problem in the Philippines. The UK recognises the impact poverty has as an impediment to economic development and political stability.The UK contributes to the education programmes of multilateral institutions in the Philippines through our core contributions to European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and UNICEF. We do not fund education programmes directly in the Philippines.

USA: Iran

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the tweet of the President of the United States on Friday 21 June that theUnited States had been "cocked & loaded to retaliate" following the shooting down of an unmanned United States drone in Iran, whether they were (1) given advance notice, and (2) consulted, bythe United States authorities ahead of the planned United States military strike on 20 June against three Iranian sites; and what explanation they have (a) sought from, and (b) been given by, the government of the United States about that strike, particularly given British assets in that region.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We share the President's concern about aggressive Iranian behaviour, particularly in the region. On 20 June, a US drone was shot down in international air space. Iran has claimed responsibility but argued the drone was in Iranian airspace. As we have consistently said, our priority remains finding diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions. The specifics of this operation are a matter for US authorities. We continue to monitor the situation. The UK remains in close coordination with international partners, including the US, to find diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions.

USA: Foreign Relations

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 3 June, how the "unrivalled intelligence-sharing" and "deeper, broader and more advanced" security relationship with the United States has been strengthened as a result of President Trump’s State Visit, particularly with regard to theirpolicy towards Iran.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has a special and enduring relationship with the United States based on our long history and shared interests. The State Visit of President Trump on 3-5 June further strengthened our already close relationship with the US in areas including security and defence. The Prime Minister discussed with President Trump how we could build on these ties in the years ahead.

Iran: Foreign Relations

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the visit of the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa to Tehran on 22 to 23 June, what progress they have made (1) in persuading Iran to stop attacks in the Gulf of Oman and reducing tensions in that region, and (2) on the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa had meetings with senior Iranian government representatives during his visit to Iran. He was clear about the UK's long-held concerns over Iran's activities, as well as the UK's determination to maintain the nuclear deal which is in our shared security interests. The UK remains in close coordination with and will continue to play its full part alongside international partners to find diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions.The Minister also pressed again on behalf of the British Government for the urgent and unconditional release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and all British-Iranian dual nationals who are being arbitrarily detained. During Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's hunger strike, we continue to support her family, including Mr Ratcliffe who is also fasting. We have made clear to the Iranian authorities that we expect them to ensure that Nazanin is treated humanely and in line with international standards. We are requesting consular access, medical treatment and will continue working to find a solution to secure her unconditional release.

Saudi Arabia: Overseas Aid

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Court of Appeal ruling that the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia was unlawful and reports that training for the Saudi Arabian military was financed by the Integrated Activity Fund, what assessment they have made of projects financed by that fund.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​All project work in Saudi Arabia is kept under regular review both in-country and by relevant departments in London.

Pakistan: Blasphemy

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the abuse of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and ways in which to prevent such abuse.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during my visit to Islamabad in February 2019. At the UN Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan in November 2017, the UK pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities and to explain the steps being taken to tackle the abuse of the blasphemy laws.

Israel: Palestinians

the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the Peace to Prosperity workshop convened by the United States in Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK was represented at the Peace to Prosperity workshop by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. We welcome US efforts to support the development of the Palestinian economy. It is important that economic discussions complement a political process, which is ultimately required to unlock lasting and sustainable economic growth for Palestinians and overdue peace in the region. A peace deal and the lifting of access and movement restrictions would generate the ultimate economic dividend not only for the Occupied Palestinian Territories but also for Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the wider region. The UK's longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process remains that we support a negotiated settlement leading to a two-state solution based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states.

Israel: Palestinians

the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the continued viability of the two state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The two-state solution is the only viable long-term solution. It is the only way to permanently end the Arab-Israeli conflict, preserve Israel's Jewish and democratic identity and realise Palestinian national aspirations. The UK is strongly committed to a two-state solution and we continue to encourage direct negotiations towards a secure Israel standing alongside a sovereign Palestinian state.

Israel: Palestinians

the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with theUnited States administrationabout contributing to the Peace to Prosperity Fund proposed by the United States.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United States is yet to formally request contributions to its Peace to Prosperity initiative. We welcome US efforts to support the development of the Palestinian economy. It is important that economic discussions complement a political process, which is required to unlock lasting and sustainable economic growth for Palestinians and overdue peace in the region. A peace deal and the lifting of access and movement restrictions would generate the ultimate economic dividend not only for the Occupied Palestinian Territories but also for Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the wider region. The UK's longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process remains that we support a negotiated settlement leading to a two-state solution based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states.

China: Ethnic Groups

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of China on the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China; and what plans they haveto ensure that the human rights of Uighur Muslims are protected.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang, where there are credible reports of over a million Uyghurs and other minorities being detained in so-called “re-education camps".Ministers and senior officials frequently raise the human rights issues in the region with their Chinese counterparts. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our concerns with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his most recent visit to China in July 2018. Later that month, the Minister for Asia & the Pacific did the same with his Chinese counterpart Vice Minister Guo Yezhou. Additionally, our Embassy in Beijing regularly raises the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities.Further, we spoke publicly about the situation in the region at the 40th UN Human Rights Council in February and March 2019. I raised our concerns during my opening address on 25 February, and the UK spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March. Following this, we co-sponsored a side event on “Protecting the fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang” on 13 March which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international community.Moreover, in our statement at China’s Universal Periodic Review on 6 November 2018, we made clear our concern about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. The UK issued a specific recommendation to China that it implements the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s recommendations on Xinjiang and allows the UN to monitor the implementation.We will continue to raise the human rights situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese Government at all levels bilaterally and in appropriate UN fora, including the Human Rights Council.

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of their Official Development Assistance, they support campaigns for legislative change in other countries where such change would permit actions in those countries which are criminal offences in the UK.

baroness sugg: DFID is championing Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on ‘peace, justice and inclusion’. We are supporting the strengthening of rule of law in a range of countries. For example, DFID’s Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) programme is a collaboration with the UK legal sector to make its expertise, provided on a pro bono basis, available to strengthen legal and judicial systems in developing countries. While much of ROLE UK’s work is in the area of human rights, it does not engage in advocacy around legislative changes. DFID and its partners always work within the law of the countries in which we are operating.

Bangladesh: Rohingya

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve the situation of Rohingya refugees in camps in Bangladesh who have little prospect of returning to Myanmar in the immediate future; what representations they have made to the government of Bangladesh about itsban on formal education in those camps; and what funding they have provided, and intend to provide, to assist with the costs of sucheducation.

baroness sugg: The UK government is committed to improving the situation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, so that they can lead more fulfilling and meaningful lives, both now and in the future. We have provided £129m in funding since August 2017 to all essential sectors: food security and nutrition, shelter, health, protection, water, hygiene promotion and sanitation. It has also included support to education. This has primarily been as part of our contribution to UNICEF, which has so far totalled £13.43m; and indirectly through our contributions to Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education. Together these have provided funding of $26m of which the UK has contributed nearly £3m. Education will remain a priority for future UK funding. The Development Secretary discussed the Rohingya crisis with the Bangladesh Government in Dhaka in February, including the need to improve refugees’ access to education, skills and livelihoods. The FCO Minister for Asia and the Pacific held similar discussions with the Government during his visit in April. My officials also regularly discuss the issue with their counterparts in government.

Developing Countries: Females

lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how (1) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and (2) the Department for International Development, systematicallyinclude older women in their (a) work with widows, and (b) wider approach to economic empowerment, across their programmes.

baroness sugg: Gender equality is a top priority for the UK. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development work together to achieve the best development and diplomatic impact for women and girls, including older women. Better data and understanding of the situation of older women is essential for tackling the poverty and discrimination they face. DFID is investing in improving collection and use of disaggregated data (by sex, age and disability) to enable us to empower and include those who are too often invisible or face additional barriers to escaping poverty, such as older people. For example, we have led the way on the Inclusive Data Charter Action Plan and worked with others to improve the international development system on disaggregated and inclusive data. Social protection mechanisms can play a crucial part in supporting economic empowerment, as such DFID is enabling the empowerment of older women through social protection programmes, including in Uganda, where UKaid is supporting expanded social protection for older people. The UK is committed to shining a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of widows globally, including raising awareness of the multiple discrimination and abuse often faced by older widows. In Ghana, UKaid is securing lives of dignity for elderly widows banished from their communities due to ‘witchcraft’ accusations and working with traditional authorities to condemn violence, social exclusion and abuse towards widows. At the Commission on the Status of Women in March, the UK helped secure the first ever UN-level recognition of the need to invest in adequate measures to protect and support widows.

Department for Education

Construction: Skilled Workers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to address a reported shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry due to Brexit uncertainty.

lord agnew of oulton: As we prepare to leave the EU, we continue to contribute to the work with the Home Office on future migration arrangements. The government’s role is to make the skills system more responsive to demand. We are reforming the technical education system to be more responsive to the needs of employers. These reforms sit alongside our now-established programme of apprenticeship reforms. 60 apprenticeship standards for construction routes are now approved for delivery, with more in development. We are also running pilots across the country to raise the profile of apprenticeships in disadvantaged areas, to improve access to apprenticeships in key sectors such as engineering, manufacturing and construction. In the Construction Sector Deal, the construction industry has committed to raising the number of apprenticeship starts to 25,000 starts per year by 2025. Construction is also one of the first routes for T level delivery, with the Design and Planning pathway launching in 2020. The Onsite Construction and Building Engineering pathways are expected to launch in 2021. The construction industry has shown that it values T Levels and has committed through the Construction Sector Deal to offering 1000 work placements from 2020. This will enable all Construction T level students to access a high quality, real-life experience which will help make sure that they are ‘site-ready’ on completion of their course. Collectively, these reforms will improve the supply of new entrants to the construction sector. Officials estimate that these changes will increase the number of new sector entrants by approximately 25% by the mid-2020s. For adults already in the labour market, construction offers a range of high quality job opportunities. The Construction Skills Fund is a cross-government programme with industry and is underway to address the current skills shortages in the sector. The department was allocated £24 million to support the development of on-site construction training hubs across England in 2018-19 and 2019-2020. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) are allocating this fund and have committed to delivering more than 20 hubs that will train 13,000 employment-ready learners by March 2020. The CITB provides a wide range of services and initiatives to mitigate the current skills shortages, including paying grants to employers to carry out training to improve standards, adopting modern methods of construction (MMC), improving careers advice and improving site readiness and transitions from study to work, including through a new “boot camp” pilot scheme initiative. Lastly, the government is encouraging the expansion of MMC, which presents the opportunity to greatly reduce the level of skilled workers needed on building sites using these methods. The department has built 57 schools using MMC and, this financial year, we plan to open another 21 schools. The department has announced a new procurement framework with a value of up to £3 billion for MMC solutions in schools. This framework is due to go live by November 2019.

Further Education: Finance

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on funding priorities for post-16 education in the forthcoming spending review.

lord agnew of oulton: The department recognises the pressures that further education funding is under and we are looking at this carefully ahead of the next Spending Review. This involves a range of discussions within the department and with colleagues from HM Treasury.

Further Education: Teachers

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the recent teachers' pay award on the financial sustainability of further education college budgets.

lord agnew of oulton: The Teachers’ Pay Grant was not awarded to further education (FE) colleges or other providers in the statutory FE sector, as the government does not currently play a role in determining pay for teachers in that sector.FE college corporations are independent institutions, responsible for making their own decisions on pay and setting their budgets. In making these decisions and seeking the best for their students, staff and local communities, corporations have a duty to ensure the financial sustainability of the college.However, we acknowledge that the FE sector faces cost pressures and that this can impact on staff pay, which is why we will be making the strongest case possible for increased FE funding in the upcoming Spending Review.

Further Education: Finance

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support an increase in the budget allocated to further education colleges to help addressthe UK skills gap.

lord agnew of oulton: The department recognises the pressures that further education (FE) funding is under and acknowledges that funding has not kept up with costs. We are looking at this carefully ahead of the next Spending Review and are considering how effective our funding and regulatory structures are in supporting providers to deliver excellent provision for young people and adults. We have been working with the FE sector to make sure that the system can support sustainable, high quality education and effective recruitment and retention of teachers and leaders.We welcome the publication of the Independent Panel Report: Post-18 Review of Education and Funding, attached, and will continue to work with stakeholders to deliver a post-18 system that is joined-up and supported by a funding system that works for students and taxpayers. The government will consider the panel’s recommendations carefully and will conclude the review at the Spending Review. The government has not yet taken decisions with regards to the recommendations put forward. 



HL16725_report
(PDF Document, 5.02 MB)

Schools: Admissions

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to implement the recently-announced changes to the School Admissions Code introducing priority admission-status for inter-country adopted children.

lord agnew of oulton: As stated in the recent Children in Need review, the government will be taking forward changes to the School Admissions Code, to ensure that all children, especially the most vulnerable, can access a school place as quickly as possible. As part of these changes, the government will also implement the changes previously announced by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for School Standards, to ensure that children who were previously in care outside of England receive highest priority for admission into a school in England. All changes will be subject to the full statutory process, including a public consultation, which will be launched in the autumn.

Ministry of Justice

Legal Aid Scheme: Offences against Children

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances in cases involving historical abuse victims are entitled to legal representation.

lord keen of elie: The Government’s first ever cross-government Victims Strategy outlines our commitments to victims of crime. The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases. Victims of crime are not separately represented in criminal trials. Victims of historic sexual abuse have access to an independent sexual violence adviser (ISVA). The ISVA’s role is to ensure the victim receives the right support before, during and after legal proceedings. As part of proceedings, a victim may be called to give evidence as a witness for the prosecution. ISVAs will work alongside the Court-Based Witness Service to support the victim to give their best evidence and participate in the court process. In April this year, the Ministry of Justice awarded £8m in funding to rape support centres to provide emotional and practical support to victims of sexual violence and historic sexual abuse, including the provision of ISVA services. We also provided a grant of £11.2m to Citizens Advice for the delivery of the Court-Based Witness Service.

Special Educational Needs: Appeals

lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of HM Courts and Tribunal Services statistics released in relation to the First Tier (Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal) and in particular the level of fixed SENDIST hearings which have been postponed at least once; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for the level of postponements.

lord keen of elie: The Ministry of Justice recognises that there is a high level of postponements in the Special Educational Needs and Disability jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (“the SEND Tribunal”). Statistics show that 77% of cases listed for hearing in 2018/19 were postponed, compared with 76% in 2017/18. The number of postponements (2,900 in 2018/19) is due to two factors. The first is that there has been a significant increase in the number of appeals received (a 50% increase over the last three years); and the second is related to the listing policy currently in place where cases are listed for hearing upon receipt and hearings have to be postponed if the date is unsuitable to the parties involved. The SEND Tribunal has increased the number of administrative staff, legal advisers and judges to reduce the number of cases which are postponed after they have been listed for hearing.

Department for International Trade

EU External Trade: Mercosur

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of the EU–Mercosur trade agreement; and which commercial sectors in the UK are expected to benefit from this agreement.

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to seek a trade agreement along similar lines to the EU–Mercosur trade agreement once the UK has departed the EU; if so, whether they have begun any such discussions with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay; and when they expect any such negotiations to be concluded.

viscount younger of leckie: The EU-Mercosur trade agreement reached political conclusion on 28 June 2019. This means that we have yet to receive the final text, which would be needed to assess the impacts of the final negotiated outcome, including which commercial sectors would benefit. This text is unlikely to be available for some time since the EU and Mercosur are still finalising the details of the agreement, which will then need to undergo legal review and official translation.We welcome the news of political conclusion between the EU and Mercosur on a Free Trade Agreement. As a global champion of trade, the UK has been a strong advocate for these negotiations. The UK has longstanding positive bilateral relationships with individual Mercosur countries and we look forward to deepening our trading ties as we leave the EU. We will be working with our Mercosur partners to develop our future trade relationship in due course.

Ministry of Defence

Malaria: Drugs

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the health and wellbeing of all participants in the Surgeon-General’s 2016–17 research study on anti-malarial chemoprophylaxis (Ref: 713/MoDREC/15) was monitored to ensure that all adverse events occurring during the study were reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); whether participants have been monitored following the study to ensure that any adverse events that have occurred since are being reported to the MHRA; and what assessment they have made of whether suitable treatment is available to those participants suffering adverse events.

earl howe: Adverse events are reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) using the Yellow card scheme and can be undertaken by a healthcare professional or the individual experiencing the adverse effect. The demographics required by the Yellow card scheme do not include the occupation of the subject, so military personnel are not uniquely identified.The aims of the "713/MoDREC/15" study do not include assessing whether individuals or their healthcare professional reported side effects to the MHRA or to follow-up whether any person experiencing side effects required any form of treatment, including an assessment of whether suitable treatment was available. Data collated in the study is self-reported by individuals and any symptoms reported may not necessarily be related to the anti-malarial taken.

Department for Work and Pensions

Poverty

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Buscombe on 19 June (HL Deb, col 771), on what occasions the UN SpecialRapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights was "not keen to engage" with UK officials.

baroness buscombe: Department for Work and Pensions officials liaised extensively with the Special Rapporteur’s office over the arrangements for his visit to the UK last November. From the outset, his staff were clear that Professor Alston’s priority was to secure meetings with UK Government Ministers. DWP proposed meetings and round tables with senior officials across the relevant departments so that topics, including health, housing and welfare benefits, could be explored in more detail. The scope and time available for these meetings was significantly curtailed as the Special Rapporteur’s office asked that meetings with parliamentary committees and other public bodies, for example the National Audit Office, be prioritised over meetings with UK Government officials.

Social Security Benefits

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arethe current (1) weekly rates of Child Benefit, and (2) monthly rates of Universal Credit standard allowances and child elements; and what would each of those rates have been had they not been frozen for the past four years.

baroness buscombe: Work is the best route out of poverty and for people to be more financially independent. Our welfare reforms are part of the Government’s commitment to incentivise moves into work and progression in work, and to better support working families.The Department completed an Impact Assessment titled ‘Welfare Reform and Work Bill: Impact Assessment of the Benefit rate freeze’ in July 2015 which included information surrounding the policy objectives and the intended effects. Benefits for the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are exempt from the benefit freeze.Currently the weekly rate of Child Benefit is £20.70 for the eldest or only child and £13.70 for additional children.Universal Credit is made up of a standard allowance and any additional amounts which apply to claimants with certain circumstances, such as dependent children. The current monthly rates for the requested Universal Credit components are shown in the tables below. Standard allowanceSingle and under 25£251.77Single and over 25£317.82In a couple and both under 25£395.20 (for both)In a couple and either are 25 or over£498.89 (for both) Child components For the first child£277.08 (born before 6 April 2017) £231.67 (born on or after 6 April 2017)For the second or other eligible children£231.67For a disabled or severely disabled child£126.11 or £392.08 We are unable to determine what each of the rates would have been had they not been subject to a freeze, as the legacy system is not comparable with Universal Credit.

Poverty

baroness primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Buscombe on 17 June (HL Deb, col 652), what is their definition of "absolute poverty".

baroness buscombe: Government definitions of low income households are set out in the annual National Statistics publication Households Below Average Income. Someone is in absolute low income (commonly referred to as ‘absolute poverty’), if they are in a household that received less than 60% of the UK median equivalised net household income in 2010/11, adjusted for inflation. Absolute low income is measured both before and after housing costs. Housing costs include; rent (gross of housing benefit); water rates, community water charges and council water charges; mortgage interest payments; structural insurance premiums (for owner occupiers); ground rent and service charges.

Poverty: Children

baroness primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children who live in a household where at least one adult is employed are currently living in absolute poverty after housing costs.

baroness buscombe: National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty in a family where at least one adult is employed can be calculated from figures published in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication.In 2017/18, 2.5m children were in absolute poverty (after housing costs) in families with at least one adult in employment. However, nearly half of these families are in part time work only, or are self-employed

Poverty: Children

baroness primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children live in a household where the adult employed is in part-time employment and are living in absolute poverty (1) before housing costs, and (2) after housing costs.

baroness buscombe: National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty in a family where the adults are in part time employment only can be calculated from figures published in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication.In 2017/18, the number of children in absolute poverty in families where the adult or adults were in part-time employment only, was 400,000 before housing costs, and 700,000 after housing costs

Poverty: Children

baroness primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children live in a household where the adult is self-employed and are living in absolute poverty (1) before housing costs, and (2) after housing costs.

baroness buscombe: National statistics on the number of children in absolute poverty, in couple families where at least one adult is in full-time self-employment, can be calculated from figures published in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. In 2017/18, the number of children in absolute poverty, in couple families where at least one adult was in full-time self-employment, was 400,000 before housing costs and 500,000 after housing costs.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Supermarkets: Containers

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what encouragement and incentives they are providing to supermarkets (1) to reduce the number of single-use and other containers, and(2) to provide facilities for customers to bring and use their own multi-use containers.

lord gardiner of kimble: Packaging has an important and positive role to play in reducing product damage and food waste. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations require producers to ensure that the packaging they use is the minimum to ensure safety and hygiene and to meet consumer expectations. If anyone receives a product they believe to be over packaged, they should report it to Trading Standards who are responsible for enforcing these regulations.The Government is working with retailers and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to encourage their efforts to reduce waste and to explore the introduction of plastic free supermarket initiatives in which fresh food is sold loose, giving consumers the choice. WRAP has published a technical report on the evidence for providing fresh produce loose and we are working with Morrisons to evaluate its current trial of selling produce loose, to assess the impact on food waste.In April last year, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched their world-leading UK Plastics Pact, with support from the Government, and all the major supermarkets have signed up to it. The Pact brings these organisations together with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated. They include action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single use plastic packaging items. Our proposed reforms will support supermarkets in achieving those targets.Earlier this year, the Government launched a suite of consultations to overhaul the waste system. This included proposals to replace existing packaging waste regulations with Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure packaging producers pay the full costs of disposing of the packaging they use. Consultations were also launched on introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and increasing consistency in recycling collection, as well as introducing a tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content. These consultations have now closed and a summary of responses will be published in due course.These reforms support delivery of the Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published last year, which sets out our plans to reduce plastic pollution and move towards a more circular economy. This builds on the commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste.

Air Pollution: Health Hazards

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of air pollution on public health; whether they intend to introduce legislation to implement World Health Organisation standards for fine particulate matter; and if so, when.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government’s Clean Air Strategy recognised the impacts that air pollution has on health, and proposed a range of actions to meet our existing emissions reduction commitments to 2020 and 2030 in order to reduce these impacts. The Clean Air Strategy also committed to the setting of an ambitious long term air quality target to reduce the population’s exposure to PM2.5, and committed to publishing evidence on the feasibility of meeting World Health Organisation air quality guideline levels for PM2.5. This work is ongoing and will be published in due course.

Plastic Bags

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to encourage retailers toreplace plastic carrier bags with paper ones.

lord gardiner of kimble: We are not encouraging retailers to replace plastic carrier bags with paper ones. Consideration should be given to the environmental footprint of using different materials, with the best environmental choice being to remove the need for a single use bag altogether.

Trees: Diseases

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking to encourage the planting of homegrown stock to address concerns about the importation of tree diseases.

lord gardiner of kimble: Defra has provided support for the Woodland Trust’s nursery accreditation scheme which helps to promote UK sourced and grown planting stock and the now separate UK Grown in Britain scheme. To reduce the risk of importing tree diseases, Defra encourages a policy of safe sourcing and has been working with the Horticultural Trades Association to launch the ‘Plant Healthy’ management standard in January.

Home Office

Asylum: Housing

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have awarded contracts to Serco for the provision of housing to asylum seekers; and what measures they intend to put in place to ensure that the quality of the service delivered under those contracts is up to a good standard.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office awarded the new Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC) to providers following an open, fair and extensive procurement exercise.There is a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards expected of all providers, as defined in the contracts, are met. Instances of non-conformance of the performance indica-tors may lead to a financial deduction from monthly invoices

Crimes of Violence

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what specific offences they categorise as violent crime; and what are the criteria for such categorisation.

baroness williams of trafford: The scope of the Serious Violence Strategy is concerned with homicide, knife crime, and gun crime and areas of criminality where serious violence or its threat is inherent, such as in gangs and county lines drug dealing. It also includes emerging crime threats faced in some areas of the country such as the use of corrosive substances as a weapon.Serious violence also extends to other forms of serious assault. We know that a significant proportion of violence is linked to either domestic abuse or alcohol, but these two important elements are not driving the increases we are seeing in violent crime. The strategy also does not address specifically sexual abuse, modern slavery or violence against women and girls. They may all involve forms of serious violence but there are already specific strategies addressing those important issues, and so they are not included within the scope of the Serious Violence Strategy.

Police: Training

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they plan to provide for police training in each of the next three financial years.

baroness williams of trafford: The Chancellor announced at the Spring Statement that he intends to launch a spending review this year, to be concluded alongside an Autumn Budget, which will set police budgets for the period.The Home Secretary has been clear that he will prioritise funding for the police at the next spending review.

Police: Recruitment

lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many police officers have been recruited via the fast track direct entry scheme ineach of the last five years.

lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recruits to each of the police forces in England were recruited via the fast track direct entry scheme in each of the last five years.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government wants to see police ranks opened up with flexible entry and exit paths, encourage diversity of experience and backgrounds amongst police leaders and develop a culture of challenge, particularly in the senior ranks.National figures show that 88 Inspectors and Superintendents have joined police forces through the Direct Entry scheme since 2014. The number of recruits each year is as follows:Direct Entry Inspector Scheme• 17 people started the direct entry to inspector scheme in 2016. • 21 people started the direct entry to inspector scheme in 2017. • 17 people started the direct entry to inspector scheme in 2018.Direct Entry Superintendent Scheme• 9 people started the direct entry to superintendent scheme in 2014. • 6 people started the direct entry to superintendent scheme in 2015 • 8 people started the direct entry to superintendent scheme in 2016. • 6 people started the direct entry to superintendent scheme in 2017. • 4 people started the direct entry to superintendent scheme in 2018.Information on which forces recruited Direct Entry Superintendents or Inspectors is not held centrally by the Home Office.

Home Office

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to reassess the working structure of the Home Office.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty’s Government has no such plans. Nonetheless, in common with all large organisations, the Home Office makes marginal adjustments to its structures routinely.

Northern Ireland Office

Foreign Investment in UK: Northern Ireland

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to encourage inward investment in Northern Ireland.

lord duncan of springbank: Northern Ireland has proven itself to be a top destination for foreign direct investment, with over 900 international companies investing in Northern Ireland. Last year saw an increase of foreign direct investment into Northern Ireland, with 35 new projects creating over 200 new jobs across Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland continues to be a great place to invest and do business. We are working hard to restore a stable, devolved government which can work with the UK Government to maximise Northern Ireland’s attractiveness to overseas investors.

Treasury

Cryptocurrencies: Regulation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate the use of new crypto-currencies created by large technology companies; and what steps they are taking to protect private financial information in that sector.

lord young of cookham: The Government does not comment on details of the proposed business models of individual companies. However, large technology companies developing cryptoassets clearly raises wider questions for policy and financial regulation. The Government is working with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and international counterparts to consider these issues. More broadly, the Government established the Cryptoassets Taskforce[1] to explore the risks and potential benefits of cryptoassets and consider the appropriate response. The Taskforce’s report set out commitments to further consider the regulatory approach to cryptoassets. The Government will consult on its approach to unregulated cryptoassets later this year. The Government takes the protection and privacy of personal data extremely seriously. All organisations, especially the biggest global tech firms who process private financial data containing personal information, must comply with the GDPR and the UK's Data Protection Act 2018, which poses strict obligations on organisations to ensure that UK citizen's data is stored safely and securely. [1] Comprised of HM Treasury, the FCA, and the Bank of England

Money Laundering

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 18 June (HL16068), what guidance they provide, if any, to banks and other businesses about ensuring that routine anti-money laundering checks do not cause stress to customers, particularly when those banks or businesses have not been made aware of any change to the circumstances of and have no concerns as to the identity of an existing customer as set out in regulation 27(8) of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/692), and when those organisations may not be required to conduct such checks.

lord young of cookham: HM Treasury is responsible for the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, which set out the high-level requirements on regulated businesses to combat money laundering. These Regulations are not prescriptive in setting out how customer due diligence (CDD) checks must be carried out, and instead require businesses to take a proportionate approach. Each business will therefore have their own policies based on their assessment of risks. Specific guidance for banks on applying customer due diligence measures and ongoing monitoring of customers is included in guidance published by the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group. This guidance is approved by HM Treasury, and it highlights that a firm must apply CDD measures at appropriate times to its existing customers on a risk-sensitive basis.

Financial Services

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of quantitative easing and bank capital requirements on (1) moving credit risk to open-ended investment funds, and (2) financial stability.

lord young of cookham: The question has been passed to the Bank of England. The Bank of England will reply directly to Lord Myners by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Poverty

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the replyby Baroness Buscombe on 25 June (HL Deb, col 1003), whether they will now ask the National Audit Office to examine the feasibility of implementing the cumulative social impact assessment recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; and whether they will explain what they meant by their reservation concerning "unreasonable assumptions about income sharing" set out in paragraph 38 of the Comments by the State on the UN Special Rapporteur’s report.

lord young of cookham: The Treasury regularly publishes detailed analysis on the cumulative impact of policy decisions on tax, welfare and public spending on households of different incomes. The government also carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics - including at Budgets and other fiscal events - in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness.Our statement concerning income sharing reflects our reservations about producing cumulative analysis of the impact of tax and spending decisions on vulnerable groups beneath household level (for instance, by gender). This analysis often requires unreasonable assumptions about how income is shared within households. As independent experts at the Institute for Fiscal Studies have said, “because most people live in households with others, and we don't know how incomes are shared, it is very hard to look at effects separately for many men and women.”

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist those over 75 with long-term complex illnesses such as dementia to pay for a TV licence from June 2020.

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information and advice they intend to provide to carers who work with people who are over 75 to help them to pay for a TV licence from June 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020. The BBC says that it will work with older peoples groups, charities and voluntary organisations to design a bespoke system to support all those over 75 affected by its decision. As part of this system, the BBC says that its licensing arm, TV Licensing, will make it as easy as possible for carers and family members to act as representatives for pensioners seeking to claim a free TV licence, including those caring for elderly people with complex illnesses like dementia.

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of thechange to the TV licence concession for the over-75s from June 2020;how that change will affect the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) TV licence; and how they intend tocommunicate anyimpact on ARC TV licences to those who live and workin residential care homes.

lord ashton of hyde: The future of the over 75 licence fee concession is the responsibility of the BBC. However, the Government has no intention to change the accommodation for residential care licence fee concession. Guidance on the accommodation for residential care licence fee concession can be found on the TV Licensing website: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ78

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impactof the change to the TV licence concession for the over-75s from June 2020on those with sight impairments; and whethersuch people will have that concession removed after 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: The future of the over 75 licence fee concession is the responsibility of the BBC. However, the Government has no intention to change the blind (severely sight impaired) licence fee concession, regardless of the age of the recipient. Guidance on the blind (severely sight impaired) licence fee concession can be found on the TV Licensing website: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/blindseverely-sight-impaired-aud5

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that people over the age of 75 who cannot afford to pay for a TV licence from June 2020 will be able to (1) access content, and (2) be kept informed of current affairs, to support their continued democratic engagement.

lord ashton of hyde: The future of the over 75 licence fee concession is the responsibility of the BBC. In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government and the BBC agreed that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC in June 2020. However, the Government has expressed its disappointment with the BBC’s decision for taking the most narrowly focused review option. The Secretary of State has met with the Chairman of the BBC Board and the Director-General of the BBC and asked them to do more to help the most vulnerable groups affected by the decision.

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that people over the age of 75 who do not use the internet will be able to apply, and pay, for a TV licence from June 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020. The BBC is committed to working with older peoples groups, charities and voluntary organisations to design a bespoke system to support all those over 75 affected by its decision. As part of this system, the BBC says that its licensing arm, TV Licensing, will write to all those all those affected, and will use suitable measures such as face to face visits and phone calls to make it as easy as possible for those transitioning to apply for and pay the licence fee.

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to offer to people who are just above the threshold of eligibility for pension credit to afford the additional £154.54 per year to pay for a TV licence from June 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: The BBC is responsible for the cost and the administration of the over 75 licence fee concession from June 2020. The BBC is committed to working with older peoples groups, charities and voluntary organisations to design a bespoke system to support all those over 75 affected by its decision. As part of this system, the BBC says that its licensing arm, TV Licensing, will be publicising the link between the concession and pension credit. It also says it will be introducing an easy payment system to help those affected spread the cost of the licence fee. The Secretary of State has expressed his disappointment with the BBC decision to restrict the concession to the most narrowly defined review option. He has asked the BBC to do more for the most vulnerable pensioners, including considering measures around the margins of eligibility and those which further promote the take up of Pension Credit.

Television: Licensing

baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the BBC's decision to change the TV licence concession for people over the age of 75 from June 2020 with the Government's strategy to combat loneliness.

lord ashton of hyde: The future of the over 75 licence fee concession is a matter for the BBC. Parliament transferred responsibility in passing the Digital Economy Act in 2017. On loneliness, the Government is taking steps to address the effects of isolation and loneliness on the elderly. These include appointing a minister to lead work on tackling loneliness; publishing the world’s first government strategy on loneliness; and securing £20 million of new grant-funding for projects run by charities and community groups to bring people together.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Select Committees: Membership

lord inglewood: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether non-affiliated members of the House of Lords are considered for places on select committees; and if so, what criteria are applied as to whether or not places are offered.

lord mcfall of alcluith: Non-affiliated members who wish to be considered for appointment to select committees should write to me, as the Chairman of the Committee of Selection, setting out which particular committee they would like to be considered for and why. Representations that I receive are then put to the Committee of Selection for consideration when agreeing proposals to the House for membership of committees. In deciding whether to recommend a nomination the Committee of Selection will take account of the particular experience that the member concerned would bring, the current composition of the committee and the nature of its work, as well as any other relevant factors.